Connecting device for doors and the like



July 9, 1940.

D; R. LASIER 2,207,128 CONNECTING DEVICE FOR DOORS AND LIKE Filed April 29, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet].

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y 1940- D. R. LASIER CONNECTING DEVICE FOR DOORS AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-sheaf 2 Filed April 29, 1939 MN mzmmzww q Q. V MW WWW W Q Q 3% ZZZ??? ww MN w m R Z V/ /4M7%// flak/id]? (Lake/7 5 9 #444 M 4% V M Patented July 9, 1940 r- PATENT orrlcs 2,207,128 CONNECTING Driving F 91; Dooas'ANn THE David R. Lasier, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Norton Q. Lasier Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application April 29, 1939, Serial No. 270,786

10 Claims.

This invention relates to a new and improved slide connector for use in connecting door-controlling lrnechanisms to doors.

I This invention further relates to a new and improved adjustable shock-absorbing stop together with means for holding a door in an open position," if so desired. The device limits the opening'movement of the door with a bufiing action. As hereinafter illustrated, the device is preferably positioned below the top edge of the door in order that it may clear the door frame when the door is in closed position.

It is desirable that devices .of this character be as inconspicuous as possible, and it therefore is an object of this invention to conceal the slide connector in a slot provided in the top edge of the door between the faces thereof and having only the top of the slot exposed.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a compact stopping and holding mechanism which may be easily installed within the top edge of a door.

It is another object to provide adjusting means for the stopping and holding mechanism which are readily accessible for regulation.

It is a further object to provide a novel type of adjustable stopping mechanism which'will also hold the door open in any desired open position, and may be moved at will into and out of operative position.

'- It is another object to provide a stopping and holding device that will operate efficiently with a minimum amount of wear and strain on its various parts. i

.It is a further object to provide stopping and holding means which may be regulated in a single operation.

These and other objects not specifically enumerated are contemplated for this invention, as will be apparent to one skilled in the artas the following description. proceeds.

' In the drawings- Figure 1 is a. perspective view of an adjustable shock absorbing stop and holder constructed and installed in accordance with this invention; a portion of the door being broken away as indicated by. the dotted lines;

1 Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of a shock absorbing stop and holder showing the door-holding means in inoperative position;

.Figure 3'is the same as Figure 2, but showing the holding means in holding position;

-' "Figure 4 is an end elevational View Y looking at the inner edge of the doorg Figure 5 is a sectional View taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 2;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of one end of the slide bar; and

Figure 8 is a perspective view of an actuating rod. i

Referring to the drawings, a bracket or frame '9 is positioned within a cut-out portion II in the upper edge of a door l2, having one end adjacent the hinged edge of the door. The frame may be formed from a single strip of metal having a base portion Hi and an upright portion l3.

End members it and it may be formed by bend-.

, a screw l9 which passes through the bar and is screwed through the member l8 into the base portion it). At the opposite end a screw 20 passes horizontally through the bar and is screwed to the upright portion l3.

Spring seats 2] and 22 are slidably mounted. on the bar it and have bearing surfaces substantially conforming to the cross section of the bar. Retaining members 23, which have a thick- The bar 86 may be of substantially ness corresponding to the depth of the grooves 24 in the side faces of the bar I6, are preferably mounted for longitudinal movement within the.

grooves. I the spring seats and their ends 25 are bent outwardly over the outer faces of the spring seats 2] and 22.

A coil spring 28 is mounted on the bar l6 between the seats 21 and 22 under a slight compression whichnormally urges the spring seats outwardly and maintains the ends 25 of the retaining members 23 in engagement with the seats.

The seat 2| is provided with a threaded opening through which the threaded end of an ad justing member 21 may be screwed. A head 28 on the adjusting member extends through openings in the end member l4 and supporting member H, and the underside of the head abuts a shoulder in the end of the bar Hi.-

These retaining membersextend under The seat 22 is provided with a cut-out portion in its under face of sufficient width to accommodate a holding lever 30 which is pivotally mounted therein on a pin 3| carried by the spring seat 22. wardly extending cam surface 32 which engages the flat end of a rod M, which is mounted to extend through the supporting member I8 and end member iii and is provided with a bent-over portion or crank 33 located at the inner edge of the door.

The under face of the slide bar It is provided with a channel or groove 38 which extends from the end adjacent the hinged edge of the door to a point beyond the free" end of the lever 39. This groove has a depth and Width substantially conforming to the cross section of the free end of the lever 39, and it alsoprovides clearance for the shank of the adjusting member 27.

A cross head or slide 35 is slidably mounted on the bar id and is provided with bearing surfaces which conform to the cross sectional shape of the bar. The slide is provided with a spindle 36 on which an operating arm 33 is pivotally mounted, and a pin 38 holds the arm on the spindle.

An end plate 39 is secured to the end of the frame by means of the screws 40 which aire screwed into the end member l4 and supporting member H. The plate is provided with an opening l! opposite the head 2? of the adjusting screw, which is of sufficient size to permit the insertion of a screwdriver but which is smaller than the head 21 so as to hold the screw against outward movement.

The installation of the device consists of inserting the frame 93 within a channel cut in the top edge of the door to a depth approximately the height of the upright portion l3. The bar assembly has not yet been inserted, and the screws 42 which secure the lower portion ll) of the frame to the door may be easily reached with screwdriver.

Before the bar i5 is mounted in the frame, the slide 35 may be placed thereon, and next the spring and spring seat assembly may be slipped or r the end of the bar as a unit. This last operation is accomplished by inserting the retainers through the openings in the spring seats 2| The retainers are then moved-outwardly so that the outwardly extending ends thereof may engage in the notches provided therefor in the spring seats which, of course, will require some compression of the spring 26. With the parts thus assembled a unit, they may then be r" lied on the end of the bar so as to have a sliding association therewith and with the retainers suitably placed in side grooves 24.

As an alternative method of assembly, the spring and spring seats may be first mounted on th bar without the retainers and then the retaimrs supplied with one of their ends unbent so as to permit the same to be inserted in the grooves. Thereafter, when the spring has been placed under the desired initial tension, the straight ends may be bent to the final position as shown in Figure 5, so as to hold the unit in assembled relation on the bar.

This part of the assembling operation may be performed at the factory so that the complete bar assembly is ready to be installed within the frame 9.

The bar assembly may be positioned within the frame with the grooved end of the bar to- The lever 30 is provided with a down-- spring seat 2|.

in the end members 14 and I5 and the supporting members I! and I8. The screws l9 and 20 may then be screwed into the base l0 and upright portion l3, respectively, to secure the bar to the frame.

The threaded end of the adjusting member 21 is then inserted through the opening provided in the end member l4 and supporting member I! and screwed into the threaded opening in the The rod 44 is positioned with the flat end under the cam surface 32 of the lever 30, and with the crank end 33 extending through an opening in the members l4 and [1 adjacent the hinged edge of the door. This rod may be provided with a lug adapted to abut the end of member l8 so as to hold the rod 44 against outward displacement. The rod is, therefore, inserted from the inside and the crank end 33 is bent thereon after it is inserted in place.

The end plate 39 may then be secured to the frame by the screws 40, with the crank end 33 extending through an opening in the plate pro-- vided for it.

One end of the operating arm 37 may previously have been secured to the door frame or a door controlling mechanism associated with the door frame. The free end can easily be placed on the spindle 38 and anchored by the cotter pin 38.

In operation, as the door is opened the bar [6 moves with it, and the arm 31, which is secured at one end to the door frame, causes the slide 35 to travel on the bar toward the end of the lever 38 The position of the lever 30 and the resulting limit of movement of the door may be easily varied by inserting a screwdriver in the opening 4! and turning the head 28 of the adjusting member 27, which causes the spring and spring seats to move as a unit either toward or away from the hinged edge of the door. Such adjustment will also move the lever 30 carried by the spring seat 22. When the flat end of the rod i l is in a horizontal position, the cam surface 32 of the lever 35, which rests on the end of the rod, permits the free end of the lever to drop to a position where the lower margin of the slide 35 will strike the end of the lever as the door reaches the limit of its opening movement, thereby compressing the spring 26 and stopping the movement of the door with a bufiing action, as shown in Figure 2.

By turning the crank end 33 of the rod 44, the flat end moves toward a vertical position, and, through the cam face 32, raises the end of the lever 36 within the groove 3 to a point where the slide 35 passes over the end of the lever, which is disposed at an angle to the slide, and wedges it against the upper part of the groove 34. The spring provides a buffing action as described above the lever and slide become wedged so as to hold the door open.

t is contemplated that this device may be used without the shock absorbing spring if the bufilng action is not required or if other means are employed to effect the buffing action.

It will be noted that the opening 4| in the end plate 39 will not permit the head 28 of the adjusting member to be pushed through when the slide strikes the lever 30.

Due to the fact that the arm 31 is connected to the slide 35 by means of the spindle 36 above the longitudinal axis of the bar I6, the thrusts imparted to the slide by the arm would tend to i roll the bar on its longitudinal axis if the ends of the bar and corresponding notches in the end portions of the frame were not square or noncircular in cross section. The resulting strain would fell upon the spindle and would tend to shear it off. Likewise, the non-circular cross section of the bar l6 and the corresponding shape of the slide 35 maintain the spindle 36 in an upright position during its course of movement. If the bar and slide were circular in cross section, the slide would tend to roll on the bar, causing a torsional strain on the spindle 36.

Further advantages of this device become more pparent when it is considered that the entire car assembly may be lifted out of the frame after merely loosening the screws [9 and 21], and that ll the necessary adjusting is accomplished by merely turning the screw head 28 or the crank 33 at the inner edge of the door.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device of the character described, a frame adapted to be secured within the'top portion of a door, a slide bar supported by said frame, a slide mounted on said bar, a pair of spring seats slidably mounted on said bar, a spring on said bar between said spring seats, means for maintaining said seats in engagement with said spring, and means engaging one of said spring seats for varying the position of said spring seat on said bar.

2. A device of the character described, comprising a frame adapted to be secured within the top portion of a door, a slide bar having a noncircular cross section non-rotatably supported by said frame, a slide mounted on said bar and having bearing surfaces conforming to the cross section of said bar, a spring mounted on said bar, a spring seat slidably mounted on said bar and having bearing surfaces conforming to the cross section of said bar, and means engaging said spring seat for varying its position on said bar.

3. A device of the character described, comprising a frame, a slide bar having a longitudinal groove therein supported adjacent its ends by said frame, a spring slidably mounted on said bar, a stop member slidably mounted on said bar having a lever pivoted thereto, means for moving a portion of said lever into said groove, and a slide mounted on said bar for wedging a portion of said lever against said groove.

4. A device of the character described, comprising a frame, a slide bar supported on said frame, a spring seat slidably mounted on said bar, means for selectively positioning said seat on said bar, a second spring seat slidably mounted on said bar, a lever pivoted to said second seat, means for raising and lowering one end of said lever, a slide adapted to wedge a portion of said lever between said bar and slide, and a spring between said spring seats.

5. A device of the character described, comprising a frame adapted to be mounted on the top edge of a door, a slide bar having its ends mounted in said frame, a stop member slidably mounted on said bar, screw means threaded to said stop for varying its position on said bar, and means associated with said frame for preventing longitudinal movement of said screw means in one direction, said slide barproviding means for preventing longitudinal movement in the other direction.

6. A device of the character described, comprising a frame adapted to be mounted within the top edge of a-door, a slide bar having its ends mounted in said frame, a stop member slidably mounted on said bar, means for varying and maintaining the position of said stop on said bar, a slide mounted on said bar adapted to be operatively connected to a door frame, and means associated with said stop for frictionally holding said slide at the limit of its movement.

7. A device of the character described, comprising a slide bar having a non-circular cross section adapted to be supported in the top edge of a door, a slide having bearing surfaces conforming to the cross section of said bar, a stopmember slidably mounted on said bar and having bearing surfaces conforming to the cross. section of said bar, means for Varying and maintaining the position of said stop, and means carried by said stop for frictionally engaging said slide as it reaches the limit of its movement.

8. A device of the character described, comprising a frame adapted to be mounted in a door, a slide bar having its ends mounted in said frame, a stop slidably and non-rotatably mounted on said bar, means for varying and maintaining the position of said stop comprising a screw member having a head portion adjacent the hinged edge of said door and a shank portion in threaded engagement with said stop, and means for preventing longitudinal movement of said screw member.

. 9. Means for connecting a door member to a door'frame member, comprising a slide bar having a non-circular cross section, means for supporting said bar on one of said members, a slide non-rotatably mounted on said bar, a stop member non-rotatably mounted on said bar, means for Varying and maintaining the position of said stop on said bar, means associated with said stop for frictionally engaging said slide asit reaches the limit of its movement, and means for connecting said slide to the other of said members.

10. Means for connecting a'door member to a door frame member, comprising a slide bar, means for supporting said bar on one of said members, a slide mounted on said bar, a stop member for limiting the movement of said slide, provided with means for frictionally engaging and holding said slide as it reaches the limit of its longitudinal movement on said bar, means for varying and maintaining the position of said stop with respect to said bar, and means for connecting said slide to the other of said members.

DAVID R. LASIER. 

